


The One Where Huber Comes to Dinner

by leeuwchen



Category: Unter Uns
Genre: Christmas Party, Fluff and Humor, M/M, ringsy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:47:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21972385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leeuwchen/pseuds/leeuwchen
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and even though Easy Winter dislikes his husband's former boss like he dislikes no other person in their street, he can't look away when he sees Benedikt Huber spending the evening all alone
Relationships: Richard "Ringo" Beckmann/Ingo "Easy" Winter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

“Please, Benedikt, don’t!”

“But-”

“No really, don’t!”, Andrea insists on the other end of the line, “the roads are pretty much closed, it’s snowing like hell and there is chaos everywhere.”

“I’ve got a pretty good car, you know”, he tries one last time but his former wife doesn’t buy it. “Don’t you think this family has had enough catastrophes with car accidents in the past two years? Let’s just postpone Christmas a few days, okay? I’m sure, Ute and the Weigels will be happy to have you tonight.”

Looking around his empty apartment Benedikt snorts indignantly. “Forget about it, I’m probably the last person they need right now. And to be perfectly honest, I’m not too keen to spend an evening tiptoeing around the whole thing between Conor and his father now that we’ve finally left our own family troubles behind.”

“You shouldn’t spend Christmas Eve all alone.”

“I won’t. We are postponing it, right? So, it isn’t even Christmas today.”

He can practically hear Andrea smiling. “Ah, the good old Huber way. Do it properly or don’t do it at all. But would you enjoy a video call later today anyway?”

“Of course, I would. See you later then.”

Sometimes Easy is still astounded by the fact just how light-hearted the relationship between Tobias and his brother has become. Less than a year and a half ago his best friend made it a point to use every opportunity he got to tell him that Ringo would ruin his life for good because that’s what Ringo always did and now…

“Perfect plan hiding them here to keep that sneaky little weasel from taking revenge on Vivi and me, don’t you think?”

“That’s my husband you are talking about.”

They are standing inside the office of _Wagner &Lassner_ and the lawyer is proudly putting present after present on his table.

“And anyway, those were my wedding presents at the flat share as well… which you secretly unwrapped… and played with… so what makes you so sure I am not planning to take revenge on you right now?”

Tobias shoots him a look that clearly says he doubts his capability when it comes to stuff like that but when he tries to take one of the presents, he quickly takes it away from him anyway.

“Just in case. You are Mr Sneaky Little Weasel’s other half now after all and… why are you smiling like that?”

“Oh… I’m just happy we get to spend Christmas Eve together like that.”

Tobias looks like he wants to cross-examine him for about a second but they both turn around surprised when suddenly the entrance door opens and Benedikt Huber storms in, obviously in a very bad mood. Passing them he nods briefly and is halfway up the stairs to his office when Tobias can’t control his nosiness any longer and steps out of his own. “Shouldn’t you be at your family’s party in Hamburg by now?”, he asks looking up the staircase. Slowly, Huber turns around. His gaze is cold as ice and his voice doesn’t show any emotion.

“Well, Mr Lassner, as I am standing right in front of you at this very moment, I have clearly not gone away. A good lawyer should be capable of connecting simple facts like that without having to ask but maybe you are not quite back on track yet so we shall just end this little interrogation, don’t you think?”

“Well, Merry Christmas to you too”, Tobias shouts happily, deciding to ignore the insult, and both he and Easy keep staring up to the second floor while Huber is entering his office, pouring himself a whiskey, clearly ignoring the fact that he is stared at. “Don’t even think about it”, Tobias mumbles sternly. Easy furrows his brows.

“What do you mean?”

“You are thinking about inviting Huber to our Christmas dinner.”

“Am not.”

“Ringo will kill you for that.”

“Then make sure he gets a good lawyer.”

“Very funny, but I am dead serious, Easy, don’t”, Tobias tries but his best friend has already taken the first steps up the staircase.

A few moments later he is standing in front of the desk of his husband’s former boss. Huber is eyeing him suspiciously, the glass of whiskey still in his right hand.

“Mr Winter, how may I help you? Or are we just waiting for you to come up with one of these catchy little insults that always amuse me so much.”

“I wanted to ask you if you’d like to spend Christmas Eve at the flat share.”

“You…what?”

“Believe me, I am as surprised as you are but I have seen Dickens’ Christmas Carol a couple of times - Muppet version and the one with Bill Murray as well - and I kinda believe that if you were visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future tonight and started throwing around money and love from tomorrow on that would be too much to handle after everything we’ve been through lately, so…”

“…you thought having me over and spending time with you, Miss Piggy and Waldorf and Statler would be the lesser evil?”

“Yes. And you better not call Vivi Miss Piggy to her face if you want to survive the evening. So, are you coming?”

“Of course not.”

Huber pours himself another drink and raises his glass to Easy who slowly shakes his head.

“You do realize that this is you being visited by the ghost of Christmas Present and I am the nice one. Waldorf and Statler won’t invite you that politely.”

“Your husband and his obnoxious brother won’t invite me at all.”

“They will if I ask them to… so, do we have a deal? It's the only way to avoid us coming for you in silly costumes anyway."


	2. Chapter 2

“You said there wouldn’t be costumes!”, Huber snarls impatiently while standing on the flat share’s threshold, crossly eyeing Ringo who is still wearing the pink Christmas hat that has been put upon his head earlier today. His husband is staring right back at their unexpected guest and Easy immediately regrets not texting him while on their way up to the party but Huber probably would have beaten retreat then and Tobias made him carry most of the presents which in his best friend’s twisted logic must have been meant as a statement on what he is still thinking of the whole plan. Folding his arms Ringo turns around to face Easy. “And you also said that _I_ wasn’t allowed to spoil this little get-together with my anti-Christmas mood and now you invited the Grinch?”

Huber shakes his head, pushing his former Head of Controlling a little bit to the side to force his way into the flat. “I’m not the Grinch, I’m Ebenezer Scrooge which makes _you_ Bob Cratchit though _Cratchit_ would never have left Scrooge’s Business just because his husband’s sweet shop got a little make-over therefore I don’t know who you are at all, Beckmann!” Entering the room behind Huber Easy feels the need to set things straight. “You shouldn’t be lying to us on Christmas Eve. Your original plan wasn’t to just give the Büdchen _a little make-over_. You wanted to get rid of it and that’s why Ringo quit.” Huber raises his hands in defeat. “Yeah okay, Ghost of Christmas Present, I admit it. Please don’t try to better me.” Ringo is looking from Easy to Huber and back again seeming rather clueless. “Who are these people you are talking about?”

For a moment there is silence. It’s Leni who speaks again first. “ _Honestly?_ You don’t know _A Christmas Carol_? Not even the Muppet version?” Ringo shakes his head hesitantly and is about to answer when he feels Easy’s hand on his lower arm. “Please don’t say you don’t like the Muppets, Honey. You not liking Loriot was hard enough and there’s only so much I can forgive comedy-wise.”

“You don’t like Loriot?”, Leni asks even more shocked now, “My grandfather and I couldn’t get enough of him when I was younger.” But Ringo has indeed had enough of it. “Fine”, he growls, “I can lend you my husband if you ever want to repeat these festivals of boredom but can we please come back to the still unanswered question of what _he_ is doing here?” Huber, who in the meantime has sat down at the kitchen table, leans back slowly, crossing his legs. “I’m celebrating Christmas with this little rat pack of yours, Beckmann, because your brother and your husband invited me and refused to go away until I caved in.” Tobias nods seriously. “Yes, for it is Christmas Eve after all and when if not now all disputes and betrayals shall be forgotten and replaced by sharing food and forming new friendships.” Arms still folded crossly, Ringo turns around to his brother. “That’s not you talking”, he states snappily and with a slight nod towards his husband he adds: “That’s _him_ talking.” Smiling guiltily, Easy wraps his arms around Ringo’s waist, tenderly pressing himself against him, daring a sheepish grin when he sees the corner of Ringo’s mouth twitching slightly upwards as a respond to being this close. “He was all alone, Honey! I couldn’t just leave him there!” Ringo’s eyebrows involuntarily join his twitching lip. “Okay, he can stay. But only for tonight. We _really_ can’t keep him, Bärchen.” Laughing, Easy presses his nose against his husband’s shoulder. “We won’t. I promise”, he mumbles quietly but Huber is back on his feet now.

“I’m not a stray dog!”

Surprised, everyone turns around and - irritated by the sudden noise – Stinker excitedly jumps up on Huber, barking loudly. “Awww”, Easy exclaims happily, “look, he already made a new friend.”

“That’s it, I’m leaving!”

Huber makes his way to the door but Paco reaches out to stop him. “Please stay, we’ll behave now. I don’t want anyone in this house to be alone this Christmas Eve. This is not what Schillerallee 10 is all about.” Huber doesn’t look convinced but Leni comes to her father’s help. “And if we don’t kick Ringo out for not liking the Muppets we won’t kick you out for…being you.”

“I never said I didn’t _like_ the Muppets. I just think _that frog_ is overrated.”

Stung, Easy closes his eyes dramatically. “He speaks of Kermit as _that frog_ … and I married him.”

“I just think, he isn’t _that funny_.”

“ _You_ are not that funny!”

“And I never said I was”, Ringo agrees and nudges Easy’s nose with his own. Meanwhile Leni has pressed a glass of wine into Huber’s hand who warily takes a sip, then nods surprised. “This one’s rather good”, he tells Leni who just shrugs smilingly, obviously not knowing what to say in a discussion of fine wines. “And I _do_ like Loriot”, Benedikt tries for another topic and thankfully Leni starts talking about her favourite gag including the pope, a menswear shop and a lottery winner. “See”, Easy says happily, his arms still wrapped around Ringo who in return has put his hands tenderly on his husband’s collar bone, “if Till and Conor can celebrate together after what has happened between them, we can leave our animosities behind… at least for a day.”

“Jar!”

“What? No!”

But Paco is already holding out a big bottling glass, his eyebrows raised warningly. “Fine, fine”, Easy mutters fumbling for his wallet while Ringo is soothingly moving one hand to his neck, “but this wasn’t even a _joke_ , it was a simple _statement_.” As Paco is not removing the jar, Easy puts five Euro into it despite still protesting his neigbour’s verdict. “You see”, Paco explains turning around to Huber, “every time anyone mentions the thing between Till and Conor in an unsuitable way, he or she has to pay a fiver.” Huber has a quick look at the already well-filled jar before jokingly addressing Paco: “Well, if you want to buy a nice flat of your own with this little fund raising later on, just give me a call.” Ringo quickly grabs the glass from Paco’s hand. “Sorry, but we will have to donate that money to the brand-new _Sons Who Try to Kill Their Fathers on an Otherwise Perfect Wedding – Foundation_.”

“Brother, don’t you ever learn?”

Tobias lets him keep the jar but unscrews its lid. “And now pay up, Richard.” With a swift move Ringo puts the palm of his hand on top of the open bottling glass. “In no way was that a joke. We’ve been meaning to set up this foundation all evening.” Tobias presses his lips together.

“Nooo, _you_ have been meaning to set it up and this is why most of the money in this jar is _your_ lunch money, Muppets hater.”

“I never said, I hated –“

“Let’s just ask the referee then, shall we?”, the lawyer offers and despite rolling his eyes, Ringo nods. Leni takes a step forward. “I say, it was a joke, so that’s five for you.” When Ringo sullenly takes out his wallet searching it for money, she grabs it from him quickly to pull out a twenty Euro note and put it into the jar. “ _Hey_ , what do you think you are doing there?”, Ringo complains, “I will shut up about the Foundation from now on!”

“Fine with me. But five are for your last gag, five more for calling Kermit _that frog_ and the last ten are for not liking Loriot.”

“You can’t make up rules like that.”

“But I’m the referee!”

“Do you even _know_ what a referee does?”

“That’s ten more for cheek.” She holds out her hand for the money. “I’m waiting, Muppets hater!” Giving up, Ringo pushes the money into her hand. “Fine. But I am _unemployed_ , you know?” The last sentence seems to have awaken Huber’s interest.

“You are _still_ unemployed, Beckmann? What happened to that start-up to detect safety risks? Didn’t they want you?”

“I didn’t want them. In fact, I am starting my own business. I am going to financially advise small business owners to optimize their calculations and business plans.”

For a few seconds there is a spontaneous reaction in Huber’s face that looks a lot like pride. “That does sound like something you are very well suited for, Beckmann”, he says friendly. Thoughtfully he takes another sip of wine, trying his best to act casually before adding: “How small exactly does a business have to be for getting your advise?”


	3. Chapter 3

An hour later Vivien arrives at the party.

“Sorry guys, but Sina needed – “

  
She stops midsentence when her eyes fall on Benedikt Huber. Confused she looks from him to the entrance door and then back to their guest.

  
“Ehm – this is the right flat, isn’t it? This is where I live? Where people hate your fac... ehm... strongly dislike you?”

  
“This is the place, yes”, Huber confirms, taking no offense in her words, “where Christmas is celebrated with astonishingly good wine and – – – veggie burgers.”

  
“Since this invitation was my husband’s glorious idea, he will have to share his food”, Ringo explains coldly, standing in the kitchen randomly tasting the different kind of side dishes they have prepared. Comforting, an already rather tipsy Paco pats Huber’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. He won’t go through with that. Do you even know how to eat a burger though?” Benedikt raises an irritated eyebrow. “What do you mean by that… do I even know how to eat a burger though?” Weighing his head from side to side with a mocking grimace, Paco silently imitates using a knife and a fork in mid-air. Leni laughs loudly. “I have children”, Huber explains as if he was indeed talking to one, “and also, when I was young, my father didn’t believe in spoiling me, so I probably have seen some harder times then you in your cosy little rooftop apartment.”

  
“Okay okay okay”, Paco exclaims quickly, raising both eyebrows, “you are the king of burgers… you are the… burger king!” He chuckles drunkenly and nudges Ringo with his elbow. His best friend pityingly curls his lips.

  
“You are a real comedian, mate. Almost as funny as that nasty little daughter of yours… you know, sometimes I wonder if it _wasn’t_ you after all who thought that alpaca would make a beautiful wedding present.”

  
“Alpaca”, Paco snickers even more delighted now but the others are too busy packing all the dishes on the table to share his enthusiasm. “Speaking of presents”, Benedikt finally picks up the subject, “since I brought none, I will be leaving after dinner before you start handing out yours.”

  
“Under no circumstances”, Vivien declares and gently but firmly pushes Huber towards one of the chairs, “you have a seat now and we just see what happens.”

  
“For a start you could promise to leave the kiosk alone from now on. No more makeovers, no foul deals. I think we would all accept that as a Christmas present from you”, Easy says while putting down one of his veggie burgers in front of his husband’s former boss which Ringo exchanges for a burger with meat just seconds later, pushing the vegetarian dish to Paco’s place gesturing towards Huber that their neighbour is too drunk to taste the difference. “Fine, we can agree on that. The place isn’t worth all the trouble I’ve had with it anyway”, Benedikt accepts Easy’s suggestion bitterly. “I could also offer you your job back, Beckmann. Just in case… I mean, if the self-employment doesn’t lift off the way you expect it to.” The hopeful undertone doesn’t escape Ringo but what is through is through.

  
“Na, I would just end up like that Scratchit guy if I came back!”

  
“Cratchit“, Huber automatically corrects him.

  
“Whatever, I don’t think that role would suit me very much. And I don’t have the sick child that comes with it.” Grinning Ringo points at Leni. “Unless you would be willing to accept a _fake_ child.”

  
“Hey, you _do_ know the story!”, Leni shrieks snappily. Ringo rolls his eyes. “How dumb do you think I am? And don’t try to make me feel guilty about it, _you_ broke the rules first and took all my money away.”

  
“Did not.”

  
“Did too.“

“No, _you_ lied first about not knowing _A Christmas Carol_.”

  
“Well yeah, because _I_ foresaw that you would be a bad referee.”

  
“Did not.”

Ringo spreads out his arms mockingly, grinning at Leni provokingly. “See, now _that’s_ the reason I don’t want to have a child ever again.” But his former stepdaughter isn’t fooled by his apparent smugness. Instead she opens her eyes widely. “Well, since now you revealed yourself as being familiar with the story I might as well reveal my true self in return.” Ringo furrows his brows. “And that would be?” Leni raises both arms and tries to give her voice an eerie quality.

  
“For I am The Ghost of Christmas Future.”

  
“Oh, please!”

  
But she doesn’t let go that easy and since all the others are watching the scene interested, Ringo adopts a dignified posture, folding his hands behind his back like teachers do in old movies as Leni continues her prophecy.

  
“Not ‘til Christmas it will take to see you with an attitude changed. A hidden talent you will find and how much one can love a child if one is truly chosen by its little heart.”

  
“Your prediction doesn’t even rhyme.”

  
“Not sick as Tiny Tim the kid will be but still some sorrow and heartache I do foresee.”

  
“Easy!!! Your stepdaughter is scaring me!”

  
“Shhh, or I will upgrade your heartache to heavy.”

  
“You know what, Leni, you -“

  
Slowly Easy walks up from behind wrapping his arms around Ringo’s slim waist and resting his chin on the other’s shoulder before his husband can finish his sentence. “Don’t worry, Hase, we’ve had this talk and I listened to what you had to say.”

  
“You don’t want children, Beckmann?”

  
Huber has followed the little show act rather disinterested but now he feels like sharing his experience. “You are missing out on the best thing in life.”

“Ah, don’t worry about him, he will change his view on this matter before summer.”

“That’s enough now, Leni”, Vivien tries to prevent the fight she feels is about to start but Leni is too strong-willed to back off that simple. “And you too involved will be”, she states looking at Vivi with determination. Ringo who has lent back contently in Easy’s embrace, his back resting against the other’s chest, his neck fleetingly rubbing against his husband’s temple from time to time starts waving his hands around visibly satisfied with the situation now that more people have turned against Leni.

“And you too involved will be?”, he repeats her words sarcastically, “Now, is this The Ghost of Christmas Future or Baby Yoda?”

Smiling, Easy tightens his grip around Ringo’s body.

“Oh thank goodness, he _does_ know _Star Wars_!”


End file.
